Soar on Forever
by Centuri Eagle
Summary: A ghost from GL's past takes over Hawkgirl's body. Whom will he choose? HGGLKT
1. Prologue Diamonds and Gods

Author's Note: To make sure that no one is confused I should mention that I originally wrote this story before seeing JL episode "Hearts and Minds", therefore I guess that makes it sort of an AU story. Actually everything is the same as the Justice League universe except for one important detail.

Special thanks to fanfic author Onyx for advice on improving the dialogue and tightening up the story.

Chapter 1 - Action.

Chapter 2 - Supernatural/Mystery

Chapter 3 - - Romance/Angst

Chapter 4 - Angst/Romance

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Soar on Forever 

by Centuri Eagle

Rated PG - cartoon violence and a little drinking.

Chapter I - Diamonds and Sapphires

Gotham. Night.

Batman was not happy for several reasons.

Reason number one: The purple and black garbed supervillaness Star Sapphire had just robbed millions worth of gems from Gotham city's main vault. 

Reason two: In escaping with her ill gotten gains, she had become a magenta streak of light, cutting a zig-zag pattern through the Gotham city thoroughfares, all the while shooting off blasts of pink plasma and causing massive destruction in her wake. 

And reason three: John was not gaining ground on her much. He was stopping to prop up buildings with his power ring as Sapphire knocked them down to make good her escape.

Sapphire came to a wide intersection as John and Batman came from opposite directions to trap her. Batman brought his arm up to shoot a grapple at her. Upon seeing Batman aim at her, Star Sapphire put a finger to her brow and a red blast became a 40-foot glowing pink spider. Eight long powerful legs began to squeeze the life out of Batman.

"I do so much love shopping in your fair city, Batman," Sapphire shouted with a musical lilt in her British accent. "Thank you for the diamonds!" 

Inside a bag that was hanging from Sapphires shoulder was precious treasures freshly lifted from the Gotham City Gem exchange. It was a fortune in polished and cut diamonds.

John tried blasting at the mammoth glowing pink spider but was unable to get a clear shot off at it without hitting Batman or bystanders. He decided to try prying Batman free by hand

"Shoot her!" was all Batman could grunt out. The compression of the radiating spider's pincer lock was threatening to break his ribs.

John pointed his fist to fire a green blast at Sapphire, but she backed away with agility keeping bystanders or occupied buildings behind or near her. 

John moved above and to the right of her. If he could not force her up into a clear shot, he could keep her eyes concentrating on him until.

Diana, emerged from a side street and grabbed Sapphire from behind. She snaked her arms in front of Star Sapphire's shoulders and interlaced her fingers behind the masked woman's head. 

"Let Batman go!" she ordered. 

Diana swung her new captive around, slamming her face first into the side of a building without releasing the headlock. This effectively broke Sapphires concentration and the spider disappeared.

Solomon Grundy emerged from an alley. 

He was only just smart enough to realize that another impact like that would not help Sapphire, his current employer, to think highly of him. He leapt up from the shadows of the alleyway where he had been instructed to wait, and with his two giant marble white hands grabbed Wonder Woman and squeezed her considerable force. And, of course, when Grundy squeezed someone, that person dropped whatever they were doing.

Seeing Diana realease Sapphire, Grundy grabbed Diana by her leg and swung her down on a parked car. This left a Wonder Woman shaped impression in the roof.

"Ha! Solomon Grundy body slam Wonder Woman!" Grundy said triumphantly, admiring his own handiwork. With her foot still in his vice like grip, he wrenched Wonder Woman free of the demolished vehicle, and swung her up over his head the other way. He then slammed her down and almost through, a mini-van on other side.

"Ha-ha! Ha-Ha! Solomon Grundy did it again!" The large albino hulk was ecstatic. "Solomon Grundy like smashing cars with Wonder Woman.Wonder Woman better than stick." 

Star Sapphire, recovering and floating backwards, gave encouragement to her partner.

"That's it, Solomon dear! Thrash the Amazon wench like a rag doll!" 

Sapphire winced as Grundy began swinging Wonder Woman in a tight circle over his head. He was building momentum for the coup de grace. 

That's going to hurt, Sapphire thought happily. 

"You had better slam her and make yourself scarce." It was Sapphire's last bit of advice before zooming eastward, staying at almost ground level.

"John, I'm going high. You go low." Batman's commands were coming through the commlink in John's ear loud and clear.

"Don't do it, Grundy!" Batman's shouted advisory was given more to distract him than in the hope of his actual compliance. He needed time for himself and John to meet with Grundy in the middle. 

The resultant impact forced Grundy's release of Diana's leg. 

"Leave him to me," Diana said. 

Batman paused to enjoy at the spectacle of Diana beating up on Grundy. He then took off in the direction that Star Sapphire had gone; out towards the harbor area. He had to get those diamonds back.

He found John and Star Sapphire doing a deadly dance over the Gotham City pier. John was blocking her egress across the ocean. He let her take concentrated shots at him as he floated, protected within a green bubble shield. Her missed shots ranged out harmlessly over the dark ocean.

Batman ran out to the furthest extent of the docks. He watched and listened. 

Sapphire was laughing, but when she saw Batman out of the corner of her eye she knew Grundy must have been defeated. 

Too bad, so sad, she said to herself. She had warned him, he had already been paid, so everything was fair. Besides she had herself to worry about now.

"Ah, John Stewart," Sapphire said. 

She stopped her assault, spread her arms wide and floated slowly towards him. A pink aura surrounded her. 

"You know," she began, "I remember a time when you were my greatest worry." 

She drifted closer. 

They were only a body length apart when Green Lantern put his ringed fist up. Sapphire stopped, but then composed herself with a smile.

"You were best of the Green Lantern Corps," she stated.

Emerald green eyes stared back at her. 

She brought one lavender gloved palm up, and ever so gently wrapped her hand around John's clenched fist. She then slowly pirouetted around him. 

Sapphire maneuvered herself so that she was now on the ocean side of him, the whole time keeping him from seeing Batman on the edge of the docks or seeing Wonder Woman who was coming up behind.

She kept her eyes transfixed on John's luminescent green irises, and then raised an index finger to emphasize a point.

"But, still, you know the fact that no Green Lantern has ever been able to really defeat me." 

She then lowered her voice and brought her face close to John's.

"Besides," she advised in an almost motherly tone. "When it came to the crunch, even Katma Tui fell to my hands when she matched rays with me. Can you defeat me?"

With that Star Sapphire arched backwards and accelerated out over the ocean. Diana started to pursue.

"Wait." Batman said calmly. "She's made a big mistake. John will get her."

John began to glow intensely until his form was becoming a mass of bright white/green light. 

Just as Star Sapphire was disappearing to a pink dot on the horizon a blinding white blast shot out from John's fist.

"Cover your eyes!" They all saw the blinding flash begin.

"I can't believe it!" shouted Batman.

"Oh, my Goddess!" exclaimed Diana.

"Uh oh," said John as he jetted over the ocean. 

He was already projecting a large force field around the nuclear explosion that he had just created. He lifted it and came up under it forcing it high into the atmosphere and into space. 

Seconds later when he was several hundred miles above the Earth's surface and the expansion was reaching critical mass he gave a final desperate push.

The rapid expansion gave way to a nuclear shock wave that hurled John back down to Earth. He fell back to Gotham. He broke through several brick walls of an old building. Diana and Batman helped him out from the rubble and sat him down on the city pavement. 

"What about Sapphire? Did she get away?" Batman asked. 

"Yeah, I think so." admitted John disgusted with himself. 


	2. A Long Way from Home

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter II - A Long Way from Home

In the hangar of the Watchtower Hawkgirl performed preventive maintenance on the Javelin 7. John entered from an adjacent airlock. He looked at Hawkgirl for a second, but then continued into the station proper.

In the control center he spoke with Superman and explained that he was going to take a small vacation and use the opportunity to clean up the house he used to occupy before he joined the Justice League. John was trying to sell the property but the place needed a little upkeep.

Superman agreed and said that John should take a week or two off but John just wanted a day or two to get the house in order. He was also taking J'onn along who rarely ever got out of the Watchtower except for the usual emergencies. 

With that, the duo left the Watchtower in a floating green bubble back to earth, all without saying goodbye to Hawkgirl.

******************************************

Back on Earth and about twenty miles outside of StarCity it was daytime in the summer and very hot.

A two-lane highway leads to a dirt road that leads through the woods to a house. Inside the house several bags of groceries have been put away. The red light of the answering machine blinks rapidly. The house is modernly furnished. All the rooms are immaculate and almost look like a model home with the exception of one bedroom that has some actual personal items in it. 

Outside, John was stripped to the waist cutting the grass of a very unkempt lawn. He maneuvered the mower around a rusty real estate "For Sale" sign. J'onn wass in his true Martian form cutting hedges with an electric trimmer. He sometimes used a ladder despite being seven feet in height. The hedges and bushes were beginning to take on a beautiful, neat, well-trimmed, but unearthly spired shape. The bushes now had a Martian symmetry and geometry to them. John did not mind.

When they finished John fired up a grill on the deck patio that over looked the backyard. J'onn was trying communing with nature telepathically. John could overhear J'onn's thoughts as he tried to befriend the local backyard animals. 

"Here rabbit. Here rabbit. Here rabbit. Oh yes. Here squirrel. Here squirrel."

John could not help but smile.

"I assume Jason Blood will be wanting steak?" John asked.

"Yes. I think Jason will want red meat very much. Very red."

John speared cubes of marinated steak along with some large cut vegetables onto four skewers. He followed the same pattern with some freshly caught salmon and catfish for himself. He then skewered together a bunch of vegetables for J'onn. He opened a nearby styrofoam cooler and cracked open a can of beer and took a swig. He then went to a cooler and poured a glass half-full of cranberry juice and then est of the way with pineapple juice. He inserted a straw.

"Hey, J'onn. Juice time."

The Martian left the backyard zoo and took the proffered drink. 

It was early dusk as J'onn had his big green feet up on a reclining lawn chair that sat. John tended to the cooking. 

J'onn was comfortable in his pointy headed hexagonal eyed form in front of John because John is truly comfortable with him. The galaxy-trotting member of the Green Lantern Corps had seen so many different life forms that a Martian in his true appearance did not register the slightest difference to him. 

"John, you make good juice cocktails," J'onn complimented "This is a wonderful abode. I do not know why you wish to dispose of it. You have pleasing rabbits. What are their names?"

"J'onn, the rabbits aren't really mine per se. They are wild."

"What about the squirrels?"

"The squirrels are free agents as well."

"You are fortunate to have the confluence of so many natural rabbits and squirrels and birds and.other life forms too."

"Oh yeah. If you wait, sometimes you'll see a deer or two come floating through here. I noticed some as I was mowing."

"Fascinating. I shall observe."

"Yeah," John said. "There are rabbit, squirrels, deer, raccoons, hawks, groundhogs always messing around here. It's like a Disneyland cartoon sometimes. It seems to have gotten worse lately. That reminds me. That seems to explain why no one has been keeping up the grounds."

John ran into the house and pushed a button on the answering machine and turned up the volume. The distressed sounding voice of a clearly nervous woman screeched from the speaker.

"Mr. Stewart? This is Cathy from StarCity Realty calling you on Wednesday the 18th at 4p.m.again. Please call me a soon as you get this message. I have really tried and tried. I mean there are people who are interested to the tune of twice what you are asking. Twice! But it really is impossible. We all know you are a very busy man, but maybe you need to use some of your.well.you know. I mean if you can't solve this.ummm. I know I am not crazy because I have several other people who will tell you the same thing is happening to them. Listen Mr. Stewart you are frankly lucky the lawn service man thinks of you as a hero. I have always used them and they are completely professional and very experienced but never have so many men been attacked.so much equipment damaged. The deer, the bees, the rabbits, the birds, the raccoons."

"What about the squirrels?" inquired J'onn.

"Wait for it." advised John.

Cathy's voice continued, ".And what those squirrels did with their nuts. Oh my god. When I heard about it.I.I.well it's the most shocking thing I have ever.Mr. Stewart I don't want to alarm you but I don't think I can ever go into your house again. When I last managed to get across your yard I was showing a very prospective buyer the house and furniture started do move by itself, noises came from the atttic. I'm sorry Mr. Stewart but you have to understand I don't have any special powers or anything. Nor does, well. most anyone else for God's sake. I'm just a real estate agent. If you want your otherwise very lovely house sold please advise me on what to do. I don't think a regular pest exteminator company will be enough in this case. Oh.and.by the way. My daughter loved the autograph. It was most gracious of you to sign it and personalize it and to tell her to drink chocolate milk. That was very sweet. Have a nice day, Mr. Stewart. Please call." A click and the message ended

"I did not know you did autographs." J'onn commented.

John looked confused for a moment.

"Hmm.Chocolate milk? You know what? Flash was with me when I was showing her the house last year. And she left the house keys behind as she was pulling out the drive.flash ran after her.Gosh darn, he was only gone a second. That kid." 

They both contemplated this for a second. John turned over the kebobs on the barbecue grill and then spoke.

"That is unacceptable news. How am I going to get this house sold with a shell shocked real estate agent?"

"What do you mean?" J'onn asked.

"This could drive the property value down. I mean, people think the house is haunted or something."

"That is the correct perception."

John stared at his Martian house guest for a second.

"Okay. What is this? Have you been in touch with something telepathically besides the squirrels? In the house too? Hey, J'onn I don't need that kind of thing right now."

"Yes. In the house and the yard. All over," J'onn said.

"Aha," said John raising his can of beer with new understanding. "So that explains why you're making toll phone calls to your demonic friend Jason Blood. Some sort of exorcism is in order, huh? You know, you gotta learn to dial down the middle. Couldn't you have just telepathically summoned him or something?"

"That would be impolite."

"My bad."

Just then the Demon in the form of a man Jason Blood arrived from around the side of the house. Despite the hot weather he is adorned in a black turtleneck sweater, a tweed jacket and slacks.

"Hey.speak of the devil. Welcome. Good to see you again, Jason." John extended a hand and helped Jason Blood up onto the raised wooden patio deck. "Thanks for coming over. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Well if it's not to much trouble"

"'Mi casa es su casa' or something like that. What can I get you?" 

"Bloody Mary, thank you." Jason said. 

"I will get it." J'onn said, enthusiastically departing for the kitchen. "I will serve, because Hawkgirl has taught me how to mix drinks."

"Oh, good." John remarked. "You can find the vodka in the refrigerator.in the freezer."

Jason looked at John askance. "You keep your vodka in the freezer?"

"Keeps the ice cubes fresh," John quipped. "Holy hell on wheels, Jason. How did you get here from Gotham city so fast?"

"That's a trade secret," Jason quipped back. He then took a deep breath and looked over the yard. After a second he said, "You know you have unsettled spirits here, don't you?"

John sighed and looked around too. He returned to tending the grill.

"How do you want yours done, Jason?" John asked

"Rare." 

As the sun set, a human, a Martian and a man/demon lounged in three deck chairs on the lawn eating barbecue while watching the colors of the dusk. The local forest animals watched and brazenly approached them. 

Later John got down to business.

"So, you gonna take care of my evil spirit problem, Jason?" he asked.

"Evil?"

"Excuse me. My righteousness-challenged spirit problem?"

"There is not evil. Your perception of evil is."

".Is based on a terrified real estate agent and a terrorized lawn maintenance crew."

"And, yet, here we sit, unmolested."

"Well, those little animals are getting a little close. Okay. Um.are you going to help me evict my non-rent paying, unfortunate and misunderstood Poltergeists? Oh yeah, and keep the wild kingdom over here from attacking people? I don't want to use the word exorci--"

"Then don't," Jason stated flatly.

"Okay. Okay, but I am okay with anything you have in mind." John talked over his shoulder, towards the house, as the beer was having an effect, "I mean I will stomp the silly ghost guts out of any poltergeist that needs and attitude adjustment in there! If whoop-ass is what Casper needs the whoop-ass is what Casper will get!"

"Not that kind of spirit," J'onn corrected. 

"What? They don't speak English? No problem I can even hook them up with some high-school spanish." John yelled towards the house again, "Necesitas traer al aguacate del due¤o!"

"You just said it is time for them to `take the avocado from the owner'," translated Jason.

"I did?" John was only slightly disappointed. "Well, heck. Its time for that too."

The three laughed at the mistake. They got up and approached the house together.

"Hey, you two. Don't laugh!" John said while laughing himself. "Don't laugh at my bad Spanish. Look. I can street-talk those sheet wearin'-holes for eyes havin', non grave restin'.Hey anybody in there.who is in there.who is not paying rent, who is running up the cable bill.has got to get ta steppin' and that's that. I ain't playing. Gotta lay down the law. We're comin' in there and if you're still not feeling me, my crew and I are gonna show you the door and we are not gonna open it first!"

Green Lantern slid open the door and they entered.

"Yeah. I think that did it," John said inside the house. "What do you think?"

"Indeed." J'onn agreed disingenuously.

"We will make contact anyhow," Jason said, putting a hand on John's shoulder. 

"Why? I deal with evil maladjusted personalities for a living." John spoke truthfully.

"Take a place around the table." Jason indicated a low coffee table in the living room in front of the fireplace.

"Fine ignore my suggestions. Just cause I'm the only action figure in this room whose got his Kung fu grip on straight." John tried to add a note of levity to offset Jason's very somber manner.

"Silence. You are disturbing the spiritual essence." Jason advised.

"Oh, heaven forbid. Or, maybe `hell forbid'. Whichever is applicable," John joked.

"Who will serve as the medium?" Jason asked.

John and J'onn only looked at him quizzically.

"The channel for the entity or entities to come," Jason explained.

"Uhh. Well, I've been drinking a little," John warned. "They probably don't like that."

"I will serve as the `medium'," said J'onn.

"Close your eyes. Clear you minds. Place you hands upon the table with your palms up," Jason began. John and J'onn complied.

"Would it not be more effective if we joined hands?" wondered J'onn aloud.

"Not until we are sure they are not demon spirits."

John opened one eye, and said in an accusing tone. "I thought you said there was `no evil'"

"Silence." Jason took on an overriding ministerial tone. "Clear your mind. Trust me."

John opened both eyes now.

"John, your mind is not clear," J'onn reported.

"Augh. Don't do that." John exclaimed while shutting his eyes quickly and tightly.

A few quiet seconds passed before J'onn reported again that John's mind was apparently on something else..

"John. Perhaps you should call her."

"Excuse me, Jason," John frowned at J'onn as he spoke. "But I was suppose to help a friend with a project, and I just remembereing that fact. I'll be right back"

John walked down the hallway, placed a commlink in his ear and began to speak. Jason Blood raised his eyebrows questioningly at J'onn. Jason maked a lashing motion with his hand plus a whip snap whooshing noise. Jason's pantomine and uncanny ability to make the sound of a cracking whip made J'onn chuckle slightly. John returned.

"Sorry `bout that guys. I'm ready now," John stated.

"It's okay." Jason now started again with a lofty tone in his voice, "Close your eyes. Clear your minds. Join hands."

"Whoa. What about `demon spirit' entities and all that?" John inquired.

"I can handle them. Clear your mind."

The trio tried with real sincerity and concentration on all parts. Jason Blood, true to his ability was interfacing with unsettled spirits of the void. J'onn J'onnz opened his body and soul to be the host of the particular entity that had settled in the house and grounds. They tried hard through the night. 

Being that they were all in great concentration, they could easily have been forgiven for not being aware of Hawkgirl's entering throught the patio door. Jason was in mid incantation.

"Spirit foul or spirit fair,

We welcome well, for we have care.

One here waits, true flesh to try,

We feel your mist as you draw nigh.

Seekest thou blood, or vengeance due,

Knowest thou pain or suff'ring too.

Lost life's lost. Fear not the pit,

For the pit's my home and I conquered it.

Find peace in house and willing form,

In home and host. Be Reborn!"

A scream ripped through the fabric of the collective unconsciousness shared in the room. Jason first thought it must be J'onn channeling a spirit but then realizes the cry came from behind him. Upon opening his eyes, Jason saw John running to the falling form a winged woman who had been standing at the edge of the living room. 

John carried Hawkgirl over the couch and set her down gently. J'onn transformed into his more conventional form. Hawkgirl's eyes remained closed but she spoke softly and slowly in a whispered voice. Her hands clutched her bare shoulders as if she were cold. 

Her eyes squinted as she finally opened them slightly. She seemed to be talking to herself but not in any familiar language. John took one of her hands and rubbed it between his trying to bring her back to reality. She started to see him with recognition. She brought her other hand up to meet his.

"That's it!" John smiled at her, glad to see her regaining lucidity. "Hawkgirl? Did we surprise you, huh? It's not what you think, you know. We were just holding a s‚ance...if that's better." John gave a quick order to the still entranced demon man, "Jason, throw the show in reverse."

"What you wish'd, still holds sway. 

And heart and magic, are fast to stay."

"Knock it off, Jason. This is not suppose to happen!" John snapped at Jason.

But Jason was still unreachable. He chanted more. 

"A fair wish, is true-fair-trade. 

Deal with the truth, for trade-was-made."

"Alright, J'onn, his poetry is getting worse," John stated "Wake him up."

Before J'onn could approach Jason, Hawkgirl suddenly sat up. 

"Be calm, John" Hawkgirl spoke with warmth. "I am here. I am with you again, my love."

Hawkgirl now had John's complete attention. John perceived a dramatic change in the very core of Hawkgirl's being. Her usual fractious personality seemed calmer and serene. There was an unmistakable familiarity in the warmth in which she was now looking at him.

J'onn, for his part, could could see the new change in the invisible aura of Hawkgirl. However, he could not specifically identify the new presence within her.

Jason emerged from his trance. He walked over to where the others were on the couch. J'onn was kneeling upright next to the end of the couch and seated one cushion over was Hawkgirl. Kneeling on the floor next to her was John. His face was embraced in her hands. 

"J'onn, who or what is possessing her?" Jason wanted to know.

"This, I do not know," J'onn said. "But it seems John knows."

John was now embracing Hawkgirl like a long lost love.

"It is Katma Tui," said John eventually. "My wife."

**********************************

Author's Note: Someone once let me read some old comics and some of them were Tales of the Green Lantern Corps. A really well written series with great art work in my opinion. Anyhow at some point they, Katma Tui, John, Killowog, Arkkiss and some other GL's start protecting Earth a lot more and through it all Katma and John fall in love, and get married. I liked this series and they were great.(cont'd next chapt.)


	3. Coming Home

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Author's Note (contined): Well, anyhow, at some point the powers that be at the comic book company decided to have Katma Tui's character killed off. I don't know why. But it happened very abruptly in just one issue without any warning. She gets brutally whacked by Star Sapphire who is really (I forget her name) John's boss from his non-Green Lantern job.

Soar on Forever

by Centuri Eagle

Chapter III - Coming Home

Hawkgirl stood on the patio deck and looked at the sky through her fingers. On her right was John, on her left J'onn, and behind her was Jason Blood. John sat on the deck railing. Hawkgirl seemed to be counting her fingers. She looked at them far away and then close up. She tried grouping them in different combinations, twos, threes, fours, fives and all spread out individually. She ran both hands across the opposing shoulders, and shivered just a little. She then looked at John, stood very close, and extended her head towards him.

"It's cold isn't it?" she said. Her eyes blinking through her mask.

John remained silent, but reached out to caress her left shoulder. His large brown hand covered much of her right hand and most of her shoulder. Her shivering stopped. She then moved her right hand to his left arm, inched it under the sleeve of the T-shirt he was wearing and reached his bare skin from there. She looked at the motion of the black T-shirt fabric as her hand tried to squeeze his biceps.

"Strong as ever," Hawkgirl observed

John had closed his eyes and was listening to her voice. She withdrew her hand from the tight confines between the stretched cotton and his warm skin. When he opened his eyes she was leaning into him again unblinking.

"Your eyes," she stared and smiled

John finally decided to say something. "Hawkgirl," he began. "Hawkgirl. You are her as well, right. Right?"

A slightly sly smile spreads across Hawkgirl's face "Of course I am her too. Who do I look like, Lantern? Betty Crocker? Black Siren? You want me to go and bake you some cookies?"

Hearing this John laughed. It was definitely Hawkgirl.

"I would for you, John," she said. With that he heard that voice again. Definitely Katma. His heart expanded in his chest. He shook his head. 

"I can't believe it.I can not believe its you, Kat." he stammered in wonder.

"You brought me back."she said smiling angelically. 

"But how can you both be." John started to say.

"But, we are. We are. It's okay. It's all right, John."

John heard the repeated message and wondered if two souls were trying to give him the same message simultaneously. 

Hawkgirl stretched and spread her wings to full span. She raised them both, individually, alternately as if displaying them to a new audience aside from herself for the first time.

"And how about these? Can we fly?" she asked.

"Umm.maybe you shouldn't." John thought she was talking to him

"Yes. Of course," Hawkgirl said to herself. She looked at Green Lantern. "Watch me, John"

Without effort she flew up and gradually spreads her wings as she climbed. 

"I never realized how graceful..." John said with awe to J'onn standing next to him also staring at Hawkgirl. "...How.how streamlined, how beautiful Hawkgirl is when she flies. I've never looked at her soar before. That's really.magnificent. It's breathtaking."

And soar she did, on golden sun showered wings. Hawkgirl/Katma enjoyed the wind rushing through her hair; her arms stretched back with her hands planing off the air. 

Hawkgirl spiraled down to the house skimming the tops of evergreen and oak trees. She looked up and could see that she was approaching a bit fast. She arched her body up and fell into John's arms. He caught her and her full momentum, but his strength embraced her without hurting himself or her. A safe harbor. With him still holding her off the ground Hawkgirl wrapped her wings all the way around John and herself, totally covering both of them, so that all anyone could see is the top of their heads and their feet.

"You watched me!"she exclaimed and kissed him.

* * *

On the control deck of the Watchtower Superman, Batman, and Flash surrounded J'onn. They were getting the full story. 

".So what you're saying is...that the terms of their marriage contract extended beyond even death?" Batman was asking. 

"That it is not what I am saying. It is what is in the contract. I saw the parchment from the wedding ceremony."

"Man,"said Flash "Alllllways get them to sign a pre-nup. Always."

J'onn ignored Flash. "It is a detail about separation upon dying. It is part of the Korugar tradition. I suspect Green Lantern was not aware of this clause because they did not expect her demise so young."

"Or so soon," Superman added. "That was the real tragedy. When they married I thought it would mean the end of any real threat to earth. I mean a whole bunch of Green Lanterns gravitated around them and their charismatic partnership. I mean Katma Tui and John led the Green Lantern Corps of Earth like a crime stopping family. It was great. Even I wanted to join. They radiated friendship and happiness like the sun radiates heat. They were like we were now except all Green Lanterns. Lois was nominated for the Pulitzer for a series of artcles on them. Those were good times. Happier times."

Superman sighed heavily, but then continued.

"It was catostrophic when it ended,"he continued. "When she was killed.things happened to the group. They all fell apart and broke off, and went away. John became."

".John." Flash injected.

"Those things happen to people in our line of work." stated Batman. "Some might say they are inevitable. But that is in the past. What those Green Lantern's were to Earth is over now. They ended their coverage here, so let it go, Superman. The question is: what about Hawkgirl? J'onn?"

J'onn thought for a moment. "I would describe her as a willing host. Hawkgirl has attained a brand new vista of knowledge and perspective that it is quite exhilarating to her soul. She seems to have access to Katma Tui's innate intellect, her integral and forthright character, her very biorhythmic aura."

"Yes, but who is in control?" Batman asked.

"Jason Blood interprets the situation like this, Batman: Neither one has the power of override, but if either consciousness wished to end the meld.it would terminate."

"Don't be so suspicious, Batman." Superman advised. "Katma Tui left her own planet.her own living planet and protected the Earth like she was born here. She died here. `Til the moment of her deathe she was a one hundred ten percent hero. You don't."

"Don't be na‹ve." Batman warned. "Her husband lived here."

J'onn said, "Do not think so drastically, Batman. Katma Tui is not hijacking Hawkgirl's body."

"She doesn't have to hijack the body...if she has the soul. They are now going to Korugar, right?" Batman asked.

"Yes." J'onn confirmed. "They go to put her spirit to rest on her home planet."

"You are going with them?" Batman inquired.

J'onn, turning to walk away, said, "Only because I was asked."

* * * * *

In the Watchtower hangar bay John and Hawkgirl were on top of the Javelin 7 charging the hydraulic system. When Hawkgirl finished with her side she uncoupled the hose and trailed back to jump off the wing, but before she did a squirt of the fluid from her hose hit John on his coveralled leg.

"Whoops." said Hawkgirl in an apologetic voice. "Oh my gosh. How did that happen? Oh no! How did I spray you all over there."

"What the-"John notices his leg is getting soaked by Hawkgirl's hose. "Hey, you're doing that on purpose. Oh wait `til I finish. Augh. It's all over my.Oh. Okay. Now its onnnn." John unhooked his hose and begans spraying Hawkgirl back. She screamed delightedly.

Flash arrived in the hangar bay just in time to see that the top of the Javelin 7 is becoming deluged in hydraulic fluid. He jumped up to see Hawkgirl and John grappling and rolling on top of the Javelin 7, both seeking to thouroughly wet down the other. Flash watched the them roll right off the edge of the wing. He ran to the rescue.

"Got ya!" he shouted, but his foot hit a patch of the hydraulic fluid. He did an impressive slide into some test equipment. The crash was embarrassingly noticeable. Flash continued his slide across the bay floor. 

To add insult to injury, the engrappled couple floated easily to the floor. They flew over to the supine flash whose legs were resting vertically above the rest of his body against a bulkhead wall. Flash recovered before they could reach him and he ran over to meet them half way.

"Oh my. Flash are you alright?" Hawkgirl asked concernedly.

"Yeah, of course." Flash said dusting off himself. "That almost never happens. I can't believe you're not bawling me out for running in the tower and ooooooo..." Flash surveilled the mess he made. ".smashing up the equipment."

"Oh, no. You are right Flash." Hawkgirl said like a scolding but loving mother. "You should not run around here, but it is all my fault too. I am so sorry. I apologize."

John and Hawkgirl looked at each other and the mess in partial shame, but they also found it hard to conceal amusement at the situation and how it came to be. 

John tried to explain: "We got a little carried away spraying each other with hydraulic fluid and what not. That was really bad. I'll find some way to pay for the Wayne Corp. equipment, but I am glad you are okay. It could have been worse, right? I hope you can understand and forgive." John smiles and punches Flash congenially on the shoulder.

"Oh, this is too weird." said Flash.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

In Sector 1417 10,000 light years away from Earth on the planet Korugar

Outside the major capital of Korugar the Javelin 7 sat on the side of a road on the verdant planetary surface. Thousand of other worldly vehicles rested on either side of the road. A green path extending off the road lead through a sparsely wooded area to a vast open field. Tens of thousands of red skinned residents of the planet were in these woods and were pressed side by side along the edge of the field. The field was filled with large flowers on long stems. The flower petals were a yellow-white on top but a deep red beneath. When a strong enough gust of wind came along and forced a bend in the flowers, the field seemed to change color in a dramatic wave. 

Almost alone in the middle of the field, kneeling next to a flower, was Hawkgirl. Standing behind her with her hands on the shoulders of Hawkgirl was a middle aged woman with a cane. She is Prefectess Tui, mother of Katma. She had ruby red skinned and had short gray hair that was once jet-black like her daughter's once was. Though a little shrunken by age she was tall by human female standards at a little under the height of John. She was dressed in the dark green robes of the High Council of Korugar. Hawkgirl was crying.

".the arrival of your energy twin with such disheartening news," Prefectess Tui said to her. "I guess was too much for your father to take. He died even before your image faded. I am sorry to tell you this now. When your likeness had finally vanished your sister and I planted your flower of course. The appearance of your energy image, I thought indicated, that you were coming to the final rest then... here on Korugar. I should have known better."

Prefectess Tui maintained a dignity and solemnity despite talking about things very burdeoning to her heart. She looked out, over the flowers.

"I know it must have been cold and dark not being at peace." she continued. "We know you can not control what you did. Your love for John separated us, and his love for you brought you back to see me. Your final rest will be soon, when his task is completed. You could not have made a wiser choice for a husband, but such a girl you always were."

Prefectess Tui paused and looked down at the winged girl kneeling on the ground in front of her.

"But who is this beautiful little girl with wings whose body brings the spirit of my daughter home to me one last time."

Hawkgirl stood up and faced Prefectess Tui

With her voice cracking considerably, Hawkgirl managed to say, "Shayera.Hol of.of Thanagar. A close, close friend now, Mother."

Hawkgirl/Katma could restrain herself no more and tightly hugged Prefectess Tui, her face buried in the taller woman's shoulder. 

"A beautiful, and precious girl. And like John Stewart of Earth, she is an irrevocable member of the family now. I am so grateful to her...to you, Shayera." Prefectess Tui paused, but then spoke lovingly. "But now daughter."

Prefectess Tui pulled the sobbing Hawkgirl off of her. She knelt down painfully with Hawkgirl's help.

"It grieves me now as it grieved me before to say goodbye to you," Katma's mother began. "but I am grateful for the chance. I can speak now as before, but you could not hear. Your energy twin was in the agony of your fate. I think you can understand why it is best for me not to go with you.well, first you should know that you are a the greatest hero of your planet." She gestured to the throngs of Korugarans who had surrrounded the field to pay their respects. "Your are name is a legend throughout the sector and far beyond it."

The hands of Prefectess Tui were gently excavating a flower as she spoke.

"You saved your world from an oppression that was a waking nightmare when you were not ye teven a grown woman. Later becoming the youngest Green Lantern this world or any other world will know. Yet before that you were my eldest child, a beautiful jewel in my life. There are words not enough to tell you how much I love you Katma. How much I love you."

Prefectess Tui's hands were now full of soil and one big beautiful flower. With graceful ceremony she placed the plant into the hands of Hawkgirl, whose face was streaming with tears. Prefectess Tui struggled to her feet waving off help from Hawkgirl. 

"Oh my God, Mother." Sadness caked the voice of Hawkgirl.

"You will replant this flower, good daughter, and several others on Earth. The best and hardiest flowers donated from nursery gardens all over our planet. I can say no more, child."

They turned to an opening in the woods. John, J'onn and Kilowog stood there in front of the surrounding crowds. They stood almost at attention. Hawkgirl cradled the flower close to her like a delicate new born baby.

".the rest, the final rest, that is, is up to John. For such is the duty of all husbands.to their wives."

They walked back to the green path. As they did a small gasp murmured from the crowd. Prefectess Tui and Hawkgirl turned to see a burst of wind cause a ripple of red to sweep across the field. The field became a sea of brilliant waving red in the shining white sun. Separate waves of yellow rolled across the field and the red lake became a sheet of yellow again with periodic ripples of red across the top. Prefectess Tui and Hawkgirl began again a two-person procession through the crowd.


	4. Parting

A/N: This was just a way of saying good bye to the Katma Tui as she was portrayed in those comicbooks.

* * * *

Soar on Forever

by Centuri Eagle

Chapter IV - Parting

Back in orbit around Earth in Batman's lab within the Watchtower J'onn and Kilowog were working with Batman on seedling Korugar Spirit Lilies. Several of the rose sized baby plants were planted in various soils, chemical mixtures, and hydroponics containers. They were miniature versions of the mature flower. Diana and Superman entered the lab. 

"Ready to go yet?" asked Diana.

"We are sterilizing the last batch," said Batman. "But there is a problem. They won't adapt."

Kilowog, the eight foot three inch, pink skinned and Green Lantern from was looking particularly disappointed. He was unhappy with his inability to acclimate the Lilies away from Korugar.

"No!" boomed Kilowog in frustration.. 

Seeing the pain his voice has caused smaller ears he said softer this time, "No. They don't want to live outside their normal ecology. They need the blue-white sun of Koruagar."

Batman looked stern and grimaced. "What's the difference?" he said. "Viable flowers or not, it won't matter," he paused for effect. "…if we are not prepared to force the important issue on John."

Batman looked around. Kilowog looked away and gently fondled a little pale-yellow petal.

"Hawkgirl won't be free of Katma Tui any time too soon, will she? Especially if John doesn't have to choose." 

There was a very uncomfortable silence.

"The longer this goes on," Batman continued. "The harder it gets…for all three of them. I know how things have changed up here, but Hawkgirl…"

"Hawkgirl isn't complaining," interjected Superman. "Right, J'onn?

"Correct," said J'onn. "Hawkgirl's consciousness is fine."

"That still does not make it a good situation," Batman countered. "…Maybe the one who really needs to come to the right conclusion is Katma Tui. I'm going to contact Jason." 

* * * * * * * *

It was another beautiful day on Earth, outside StarCity in the house of John and Katma Stewart.

The air swelled with the sound of the Javelin-7 approaching overhead. When it had landed, a few superheroes emerged from the woods. They carried several small extra-terrestrial flower plants that were in a fragile state. 

A little later, inside the house, J'onn and Jason sat and talked with Hawkgirl/Katma in the living room. Outside, John, Killowog and Diana were digging up parts of the lawn and trying to embed the little flowers into the soil. They were doing their best to show care but the Spirit Lilies were having a tough time. They looked sickly on their bent stems. Many already had a white-yellow surface and bright red underside to their small petals, but it did not help that the leaves were shriveling and folding up in the yellow sunlight of the late afternoon.

On the wooden patio deck Superman was explaining something to Lois Lane. Lois had a glass of wine in her hands.

"…I'm sorry Lois. I really do appreciate the investigative work, but you really shouldn't interview her. It's just not right."

"This is more than a simple interview." Lois insisted. "These are the questions of a lifetime. Don't you see? It's about more than a story here."

"I know it means a lot, Lois," Superman protested. "And it has a lot of interest behind it, but."

"A lot of interest?" Lois scoffed. "This Green Lantern was slain in her prime by God knows who and only God knows why. Hell, the whole world was in shock by the loss of that beauiful, courageous woman and by the dissolution of the Lantern Corps here on Earth. I know I was angry. I know you were angry too and sad. I remember that. I know you wanted answers then."

Superman had his arms folded across his chest. He stared at the floor boards. Lois put her wineglass down and tried to look up into the eyes of the Man of Steel.

"Don't you think we should find out what happened to her if we can? Don't you think we owe it to her? Don't…"

"Lois. I can give you lots of reasons but I am going to say only this. I don't think John knows the full story yet himself."

"What?" Lois could not believe her ears. "I don't believe it. Why wouldn't she tell him. Wouldn't she want..."

".And that's exactly it." Superman said. "I think it might be that she may not want him to relive the tragedy of her death."

Lois turned around to think. She was confused by this new information. She took a few paces and looked through the sliding glass door to see Hawkgirl still talking with Jason and J'onn. She turned back to Superman.

"Well, she couldn't be feeling sorry for her assailant, and certainly the whole world would be safer with…whatever monster killed her punished or put away or something."

Lois snapped her fingers at a sudden idea.

"Unless, of course she thought John was in danger."

"…Or maybe she just wants things to just rest in peace."

"If she wanted peace then why kick up such a ruckus in this house? Frighten and scare people? Why cause such a disturbance?"

"Have you ever been dead, Lois? It can make you do strange things."

"No, Superman, I don't know about death. Not my own yet anyway. I do know this. There's a certain obligation a person has to avenge a slain lover, especially a marriage partner." 

"Just maybe Katma is all too aware of that, Lois."

*************************************************

Later, inside the house, Hawkgirl had put on one of Katma's old dresses that was in a closet. She approached John in the kitchen. The dress did not fit her well, as Hawkgirl was shorter than Katma, who was almost six feet. It was a revealingly cut backless party dress. The loose fit in certain places gave John a somewhat immodest view of Hawkgirl. He was a bit surprised at seeing more of his Justice League colleague than she had ever shown before. He suddenly decided to turn and check up on the lasagna in the oven..

"Holy ka-pow. You look…exquisite." He tried not to stare at her.

"I hope it doesn't bother you...me wearing this. It was the only thing that fits with these wings and all."

Green Lantern just chuckled at that and put on an oven mitt. "Of course not."

"I told Hawkgirl she could have this dress, if that is alright with you." said Hawkgirl/Katma.

"Sure. I guess she...you will have to haven't taken in a bit."

"John? Do you love Hawkgirl?"

The roar of the bat plane overhead shook the glass fixtures and windows in the house. Green Lantern shook his head as he opened the oven door.

"More company. We'll have to put a landing beacon on the roof if this keeps up. It's beginning to seem like old times, huh?"

Hawkgirl walked over to a large plastic box sitting on the counter. As she opened the top, the internal heating coils and white u.v. light of the incubator inside the box lit her face from below. She reached in with both hands and brought out Katma's full grown Spirit Lily.

"I am going to go now, John." Tears welled up in her eyes. "God. I don't want to go. It's been so nice touching being with you, but before it gets any harder...I've got to…die."

The word hit John like a ton of bricks. 

"Now? Right now?" he asked.

"J'onn and Jason…mostly J'onn have convinced me that it is really unfair to interfere with Hawkgirl's individual destiny, no matter how short…"

"What's a few more…" he started to protest but trailed off..

"Oh…and John.?"

"Hmm?"

"When I am gone…finally gone…take care of Shayera." A familiar and reassuring smile appeared beneath the mask. "You know…if you were to marry again someone,… I'd…"

John silenced her with a passionate kiss.

**************************************************** 

Sunset approached outside. Everyone was there. Green Lantern was busy trying to shore up the wilting flowers without much success. Everyone tried to help. Batman tested the soil. When Hawkgirl emerged from the house they all stood up, except for John who simply picked out another seedling flower from a container and dug it into the lawn. Katma/Hawkgirl took the opportunity to shoot up a little into the sky and then float back down. One last short flight for Katma.

She hugged each person in turn. Batman first.

"Thanks. I am sure you have done everything you can for the flowers. It will be okay."

"Goodbye. Katma," Batman said evenly.

Next she came to Wonder Woman who looked to be on the verge of tears, "Goodbye, Diana."

They embraced and Diana said while still hugging, "Take care, Sister."

Next was Flash.

"Goodbye, Flash." she said semi-cheerfully. "You slow down now, okay?"

"Bye. Thanks for making things lighter in the Watchtower, and with John. It won't be the same..." 

His voice started to choke up a little so he decided to say no more.

"Don't worry." she said. "I think things might change in time."

"Goodbye, my friend," she said as she came to J'onn. "I wish I could have met more Martians."

"Be at peace, Katma Tui."

Next, Jason tried to shake her hand stiffly.

"I'm sorry about the mix up." Jason said.

Hawkgirl/Katma forced a hug on him.

"Don't be. Don't be. I…we…are not sorry. We thank you. Thanks."

She turned to the next person. It was Kilowog. "Oh, my old friend Kilowog..."

The very large Green Lantern lifted her up in his embrace and put her down again.

"Thanks for covering my planet." she continued saying. "If there is anyone that Sinestro respects and fears, I know that it is definitely you."

"Ohhkay, Katma. Galius, Ch'p, and the others all wanted say goodbye. Even Arkkis. They will be so sorry they missed you…oh...don't worry about your sister neither, okay?

Hawkgirl clasps to Kilowog again.

"Jahdis..." Hawkgirl cried.

"Don't worry, Katma. When the ring came seeking her out, she wasn't gonna do it. Was finishing studying to be an architect like her big brother-in-law John. But I convinced her, and she's doing great. When she gets back from Oa she'll be under the expert tutelage of me. Because I'm the best teacher of Green Lanterns there is...after the great Katma Tui. Right, John?"

John looked up from planting a flower. He shook his head and smiled as he said, "Ya big poozer."

Hawkgirl laughed a little, "Yeah. Yeah, you big poozer you. You better train her well. Very well. And you tell them all I miss them all so very, very much and…and…I wish them all, all the love in the Galaxy. Please tell Jahdis…tell her to be good...to be a real good Green Lantern. And that I love her. You got that? Don't forget. Don't forget."

Hawkgirl kissed him and then wiped tears from his face.

"Yeahhh. You can trust me, Katma. Good ol' Kilowog won't forget."

Hawkgirl finally released him and hugged Lois.

"Well, good bye, Lois Lane. Keep the press free."

"Oh, God, Katma. Katma Tui. I will. In your name, I will. I never told you this when you were here but if I had a daughter if I ever have a daughter I'd want her to be like you."

"Thanks, Lois. That's a beautiful thing to say. But don't tell her to be like me. Just to be fair, and honest, and strong. Like her mother, right?"

She faced Superman and hugged him.

"Good bye, Superman. Thank you."

"No. Thank you, Katma Tui. You are breaking our hearts again. We are glad you came back. You had to come back. So that we could say goodbye and thank you. You are what is best in all beings." 

When it could be no more she broke away, and went to the plant incubator and picked up her giant Lily. She grabbed a hand spade and knelt near John who was hard at work. 

She cut into the lawn with the spade. She carved out a fairly deep and wide hole. Batman held a container with an enriched mulch, soil, and fertilizer combination. One by one everyone took handfuls of the soil mixture and placed it into the hole she had dug. Kilowog was last. He grabbed a big handful of soil and walked over to where she was kneeling. She was looking over at John who was fitting another plant into the soil of the yard, seemingly ignoring the ceremony. Kilowog squeezed the soil compactly in his big pink hand and then crumbled it again and let it slip between his fingers into the hole 

"Goooodbye, Katma," his deep Bolovxian voice sounded.

When that was done, Hawkgirl took Katma's lily in one hand and reached into the hole with the other. She scooped up a handful of soil that her friends had dropped in and then placed the plant in that hand. 

She winced and doubled over in pain. John did not look back, but he talked to Superman without looking up.

"Go ahead." John said

Superman signaled everyone to join hands. John continued planting the little Korugar Spirit Lilies. 

Superman: 

"For the peace of Katma Tui.

Daughter of Korugar

Guardian of Earth

Brave warrior.

Most beloved wife

We will remember her spirit with her Lily and commend her soul to the heavens.

May..."

Flash started sniffing the air. Everyone started looking around.

"Is it just me or are those flowers actually starting to look…and smell good?" said Flash.

Sure enough, of the lilies that had been planted through the yard, they all were now standing up on their stems. The petals were turning a brilliant shade of lemon yellow and began swelling to near orchid proportions. A stimulating fresh fragrance wafted through the garden. Diana gave the widest most satisfied smile anyone had ever seen her give. She made eye contact with Green Lantern nodded exuberantly at him.

"By the Gods. It worked. It's beautiful," Diana said.

J'onn and Kilowog turn and looked at each other and congratulated one another. J'onn gave a grin.

"Hmm…It would seem that we have a new Earth viable hybrid of the Korugar Spirt Lily," J'onn analyzed.

Hawkgirl/Katma was still struggling with the end. She was now clutching her chest with one hand while holding the the biggest blossoming lily just above the Earth in the other. She was breathing heavily and her face was near to the ground. 

John walked over to her, and softly knelt. He gently tilted back Hawkgirl's head and kissed her on the lips

"I love you, Kat." he said.

He reached into the hole and came out with two hands full of soil. Hawkgirl released the plant into his hands. As she reached with both hands for more soil, her lips found John's lips again. She placed her soil filled hands around John's. She took a sudden convulsive breath and her eyes opened wide. She was all Hawkgirl now. 

"I will never forget you, Katma. Never." said John.

John and Hawkgirl's hands plunged into the hole. The Korugaran flower's roots become firmly and deeply planted into the soil of its new host planet - Earth.

Green Lantern said, "May your spirit soar on forever."

Superman repeated, "May her spirit soar on forever."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Epilogue

On the patio deck Superman had a telescope setup and was showing a star to Lois Lane.

"That is a very red star," commented Lois. "Very pretty."

"Yes and big too." Superman could see the star with his naked eyes. "So big it swallowed all of its inner planets. Krypton was among them."

Lois moved close to the man of steel as they looked up at the night sky together. In a reclined patio chair next to them was the sleeping form of Flash. Three empty lasagna pans lay next to him. Someone had graciously covered him with a blanket. Someone else had covered his head with the blanket to muffle his snoring.

Hawkgirl walked across the lawn close to where Batman and Diana were sitting and looking at the stars.

"...And there is Casseiopeia," pointed out Diana. "And there is Taurus the bull, and there is ursa minor the little bear."

"Where's 'the bat'?" Batman asked.

Diana turned to look at him. "But there is no constellation called 'the bat,'" Diana advised.

"There should be."

When Hawkgirl got to John he was lying on his back looking at the stars too. She sat very close to him.

"Which star is Korugar's?" she asked. "Can you tell?"

"Well, do you see that group of stars that looks like a small upside down stove pot? The last star at the end of the handle. That is Korugar's sun. We know it as Polaris here."

"We really have to go back there some day and check up on mother…I mean Katma's mother."

"Yeah," agreed John. "We will some day."

She lay down next to him on the soft cushiony grass and lay her head on his chest.

"She told me to take care of you. Katma did." Hawkgirl said. She suddenly yawned greatly.

"Do you mind if I fall asleep like this, Lantern? Just for a little while." she asked. 

"Go ahead. Rest easy, Shayera." he said gently stroking her red hair. "Nothing will happen to you. I swear it."

****************************************************************************


End file.
